The Sisters of the Ring
by Serenity Cox
Summary: Sisters Cela and Brooke have their hearts set on an ambitious, college-filled life when they suddenly fall into Middle Earth. Huge fans of the Lord of the Rings series, they have to deal with the burden of knowing exactly what fate has planned for the Fellowship. Even worse, they learn that the old life they've always loved back home may not even be real. (Legolas/OC :D)
1. Chapter 1

UPDATE: Wow, looking back on this, I realize how boring this was, not to mention the terrible writing style... I assure you, the story DOES get better, and much more interesting.

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><p>I am about to lose my mind from watching a clock- but then again, it won't exactly be the first time.<p>

I boredly watch the clock above the whiteboard, its long red hand slowly shifting from one second to the next. I begin to drum my fingers on the tip of my desk, but immediately earn a harsh glare from a guy to my right. _Okay then._

Around me, my classmates cough, clear their throats, and flip their math test sheets over again and again, hoping to find the questions easier once reread for the tenth time.

I sigh, shake my head, and root around in my totebag for my Spanish textbook. I've already finished the test with fifteen minutes to spare. When I got up out of my seat to give my test to the teacher- after checking my work thoroughly- she didn't even look up from her computer and simply told me I could do whatever I wanted for the rest of the period.

Sometimes I get the feeling that my teacher hates me; that everyone hates me. And then sometimes I know that they do.

I know why they do too. It makes perfect sense. I never saw myself in this position before- an awkward, shy, math-obsessed junior taking college-level classes. _And yet, here I am._

The teacher announces that the test is over loudly, startling me and making drop my pencil. It skitters across the floor and I hurriedly chase after it, awkwardly bumping into people and making them give me dirty looks.

I finally retrieve my pencil and stand up quickly, dusting myself off. I need to hurry and collect my books so I can catch the bus that drives to my high school. I have missed the bus several times so far this year.

As soon as I turn around, a guy with thick glasses and short brown hair crashes into me. His coffee cup slips from his hand and tumbles to the floor, spilling coffee everywhere. I wince, glancing longingly at the door, but decide to help clean up the mess. We clean the floor together in silence.

The guy with the thick glasses doesn't thank me once we are done, and, instead, quickly bolts out the door. I gather my books, but know that I'm too late as I rush through hallways and down stairs. Just as I make it outside, I see the bus pulling away. I groan, shove my dirty totebag off my shoulder, and dig around inside for my phone.

My sister picks up after several rings. "Cela, I'm in school! What is it?" she whispers, annoyed.

"I missed the bus again." I admit.

She groans. "You are so lucky that this is your last period. Look, I'll come and get you in my car after I pack my stuff up at the lockers." I sigh inwardly. To my sister, "packing up stuff at the lockers" translates to "gossiping with my friends for at least half-an-hour".

"Thanks, Brooke." I say.

I hear Brooke talking with her friends for a moment before she leans in closer to the phone and says, "I gotta go, Cela. Bye."

I am about to say goodbye back when the phone beeps. She hung up.

I wordlessly toss my iPhone into my totebag and lean back on one of the brick columns that surround the front entrance of the school. About forty minutes later, my sister's car races toward me. I run alongside the curb as the car slows down.

"Hey, Cela!" Brooke says cheerfully as I slip inside. The car smells of sugar alcohols and mint. "Want some gum?"

She holds up a Trident spearmint pack, but I shake my head.

"So," Brook starts as the car begins to move again, "do you want to go straight home, or stop off at somewhere to study?"

"Let's stop off at Starbucks. I seriously need to study for my AP World History test," I reply.

"So be it," Brooke says teasingly as we exit the college campus. "I probably need to study too. Next year, I'll be surrounded by total nerds, and, as you can see, I'm only fifty percent nerd at the moment."

I roll my eyes, but can't help smiling a little. I'm still so proud of her. When Brooke got accepted into Harvard, my dad and I were ecstatic, but not surprised. Brooke had written a killer essay, won several writing competitions, starred in the high school musical, and planned to major in English. While my Ivy League aspirations were still dreams, hers were a reality.

When we get to Starbucks, Brooke and I gather our books and study materials and walk inside. I instantly see a group of seniors in the corner that wave at Brooke and motion for her to come over. Brooke walks over to them and starts talking excitedly.

I put my books down on a table and order a decaf latte at the counter. Brooke joins me a few minutes later. I raise my eye at her, and she shrugs guiltily. "They were part of the musical."

I shake my head and turn back to my history textbook. My teacher has mercilessly assigned the class several pages of reading and informed us of a test in two days. I get so focused on studying that I don't even realize time passing until Brooke and I step outside.

Brooke and I have a heated debate about favorite books on the way home. Brooke is in love with classics like Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen while I lean more towards action and adventure stories, with little to no romance. We finally agree that the Lord of the Rings trilogy is clearly one of the best series we have ever read. Brooke loves the passion the adventure brings out of the characters and the romance between Aragorn and Arwen, while I love the action, twisting plot, and the detailed world that Tolkien created. Both of us have seen all of the movies and read all of the books. We even know how to speak Elvish, though not fluently.

Brooke parks the car in our driveway, and we get out of the car, still talking animatedly, in both English and Elvish. I'm surprised at how much of the Elvish language we have managed to retain, even after not speaking it for quite a long time.

As we walk up the path that leads to our front door, I suddenly feel uneasy. I slowly stop walking and put a hand to my forehead. Brooke notices that I look sick and asks me what is wrong.

"It's nothing, it's just that- Dad didn't tell us where he'd be today. Do you think he's at home?" I say lamely.

Brooke eyes me suspiciously. "Dad is on… vacation, remember?"

I immediately remember and curse myself for being so stupid. "Never mind. I don't know what I was thinking." I give a nervous laugh.

Brooke raises an eyebrow at me, but continues up the steps that lead to the front door. My brain is hurriedly trying to think up reasons why she shouldn't open the door, and finding none. After a moment, I dismiss my feelings of misgiving. After all, logic has never failed me.

Still, I can't help feeling a bit worried as Brooke fumbles around in her backpack, takes out her key and inserts it in the door. As soon as she starts turning the key, she lets out a scream and hurriedly backs away from the door, almost falling down the steps.

The door is glowing.

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><p>Heh, sorry about that cliffhanger, but I assure you that all will be explained in the following chapter, where we will also meet Legolas! :) Love you all!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

"Brooke, it's alright!" I say, smiling.

Brooke stares suspiciously up at my cheerful expression, obviously wondering why I'm so calm about the bizarre situation.

"Maybe our electricity is broken or something?" I suggest lamely, glancing up at the door. The blinding lights the door is emitting fascinate me and I pause for a moment to admire them. "We should really get inside. It's getting dark," I say, pulling Brooke to her feet.

"Inside?! What if there's, like, a robber inside, because he thinks that nobody's home?" Brooke protests.

I laugh. "A criminal making a light show?" I start turning the key in the door. Then I turn the knob, and push the door open. Suddenly, there is a loud rumbling noise from inside of the house and I pause, looking briefly back at Brooke, who looks terrified. Nevertheless, I decide to nudge the door fully open, squinting from the bright light that instantly envelops me. I can't see anything, even when I turn back to look at Brooke. I'm completely surrounded by lights of all colors and forms, and I feel like I'm still standing, but not quite. Then the ground beneath me disappears and I'm falling.

"Brooke, where are you?" I shout desperately. No answer.

I turn back to what I suddenly realize is the mouth of the tunnel. All of the colored lights are flying to meet it, and I am following their path. For a moment, I am mesmerized by the different shapes and sizes around me and simply watch the colored lights fly by in silence.

After a while, I yawn, realizing that I'm suddenly feeling very sleepy. A part of my brain tells me that I shouldn't fall asleep in a unusual tunnel with strange flashing lights, but even as I try to resist being sleepy, I become even more tired. After a few moments of resisting, I let myself give in to sleep. The colors around me blur together, and mix, and the world around me slowly fades into dark.

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><p>I wake up to being unpleasantly tossed onto the ground. I groan in annoyance, and sit up as I rub the sleep out of my eyes. As my vision gradually begins to focus, I start to see a large black arrowhead right in front of my face. Disoriented, I rub my eyes again, but the black arrowhead remains.<p>

Unable to even scream, my eyes slowly follow the tip of the arrow to the golden shaft, then to the elegant black and curved bow, and finally, to the arrow's owner.

And then, I scream.

In a flash, a hand covers my mouth. "Do not make noise!" the arrow's owner hisses.

I angrily shove his hand off, standing up and looking around hysterically. My head feels faint as I look around. The trees here are tall- much taller than back home- and the wood around me is dark and twisted, and… I am completely surrounded by elves.

"Oh my gosh. What in the- what is going _on_?!" I whisper-shriek, remembering that I am not supposed to scream.

The elves quickly consult each other in rapid-fire Sindarin. I catch a few words here and there, but not enough to sufficiently understand what they are talking about. As they talk, I quickly search through the fog in my brain long enough to pick up a sufficient greeting in Sindarin.

"_Mae g'ovannen?_" I say hesitantly. ("Well met")

All of the elves whip around in shock. Finally, the arrow's owner steps forward. He is clearly the leader of the group. "_Mani naa essa en lle?_" he demands. ("What is your name?")

"'_Quel re," _I say, smiling warmly as I finish with the arrow-owner's name, "_Legolas_." ("Good day, Legolas.") As the elves exchange panicked and shocked glances, I switch to Common Speech, saying, "My name is Cela. Pleased to meet you."

"How do you know my name?" Legolas asks me, clearly irritated.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it," I reply, laughing, "I've read a whole book series about you… _and_ watched all of the movies!" At this, the elves look at each other, extremely confused. I continue on, saying, "But wait, I need to know which part of the story I'm in. So, where are you guys going? Are you guys going to the council of Elrond?"

At once, Legolas's arrow is trained on me again. "How do you know this? Are you a spy? Answer me quickly, or I will not hesitate in killing you," he says coldly.

"Wow, thanks," I say sarcastically. I glare at him. "I am _not_ a spy! I just heard about what you guys are doing from… Gandalf." I inwardly kick myself. _Wow, what a great lie, Cela! _

Luckily, Legolas lowers his bow, looking immensely surprised, and even a little cheerful. "You are a friend of Gandalf's?"

"Um, yeah… he wanted me to come to the council with you," I lie.

Legolas considers this. "Well, any friend of Gandalf is a friend of mine. We shall accompany you to the council." Then, he seems to remember something, and looks back at the group of elves. "Is this human also a friend of Gandalf?" The elves step back to reveal my sister, who has a gag in her mouth and bound feet and wrists. She looks like she is about to have a heart attack.

"OH MY GOSH, you idiots!" I shriek, before pausing for a moment to rearrange my words and make them more "Middle-Earth appropriate". "Release her _now!_ Can you not see that she is frightened of you?"

The elves hurriedly start to untie her bonds, muttering apologies in Sindarin as they go. I turn to Legolas angrily, saying, "She is my sister!"

"I can see. You are very protective of her." Legolas states matter-of-factly.

"Of course. Wouldn't you be?" I say, suddenly shy about my outburst. There's an awkward silence as I remember that, as far as I know, Legolas never had a sister. I decide to change the topic as we watch the elves trying to calm my sister down as she attempts to scream through her gag.

"So… how far is it to the council of Elrond?" I ask, before adding, "I haven't visited Middle Earth before."

"Two days on horseback," Legolas replies.

I thank my lucky stars that I've been fortunate enough to attend riding classes back home. Although I quit nearly a year ago, at least I know how to get on the horse. "Who will I ride with?" I ask, eyeing the other elves that surround us. I can barely tell one from another. They all have long blonde hair, elegant features, and fluid motions.

Legolas turns to face the other elves while he talks. "It does not matter. You may choose to ride with someone, or by yourself, if you wish."

_Hmm, it _would _be easier to ride behind someone, because then _they _would be in charge of controlling the horse, not me, _I think. I open my mouth to say that I want to ride with someone else, but stop dead in my tracks. Legolas is eyeing me––– judging me, expecting me to say that I want to ride with someone else and be dependent upon them. I close my mouth angrily and look him right in the eye.

"I wish to ride alone."

Legolas turns around sharply, and I notice––– with no small amount of satisfaction––– that he looks downright shocked. I guess he isn't used to being wrong in his observations about people. In the movies, Legolas was always portrayed as a courageous and skillful warrior, but I've never thought about how his "elvish know-it-all senses" could get on people's nerves.

I give him a sweet smile and a brief silence follows. Finally, Legolas opens his mouth as if to say something, but my sister cuts him off.

"CELA! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?!" My sister screams, having had her gag removed at last.

"Brooke!" I rush over to her side. We hug each other in silence for a moment. Then, Brooke steps away from me, looking puzzled. She lays her hands on my shoulders. "Now, Cela, would you mind telling me exactly _how_ we got into MIDDLE EARTH?"

"I actually don't know," I admit, trying to avoid her accusing stare. "I just opened our front door and–––"

"Oh _yes!_ The _front door. _And _who_ exactly told you not to open it?" Brooke asks in a patronizing tone.

I grimace. "You," I growl, taking her hands off my shoulders. "I'm sorry, okay? Besides, didn't you always say that you wanted to live in Middle Earth?" I point out.

Brooke looks at me like I'm crazy. "Sure, _after_ their whole crazy adventure was over. When it was _safe._"

Legolas interrupts our conversation just as I'm about to reply. Annoyed, we both turn to face him. "You talk as though you have not visited this world before, but it seems as if you have heard much about our lands and our people."

My sister and I exchange glances. _Help me, _my expression pleads.

Brooke jumps in immediately. "We actually haven't visited Middle Earth before, but Gandalf kept us… well-informed?" she offers.

"Very," Legolas says, staring at her accusingly. Brooke stares back, apparently unimpressed and not intimidated in the least. I do the same when he turns to me. Then, abruptly, Legolas stalks away angrily.

I roll my eyes at Brooke. "_Elves_," I say knowingly, "Always so… suspicious."

"Well, he _is_ the prince. We'd better be respectful around him––– he has a lot of power," Brooke advises me. "Interesting lie, by-the-way," she adds, giving me a meaningful glance.

"About Gandalf?" I laugh, shaking my head. "I know. What are we going to do when we meet Gandalf and he's like, 'who are _you_' to us?"

"I don't know, but we'd better think of something." Brooke answers. There is a brief silence as we try to think about what to say to Gandalf.

"Hey, chances are Gandalf might just use his amazing wizard powers and stuff to find out that we're not spies," I say hopefully.

Brooke raises an eyebrow at me, and I wait for her to criticize my questionable logic about Gandalf, but her speech of disapproval never comes. Instead, my sister blurts out, "Hey, Cela, I never asked you this, but did you like Orlando Bloom better as Legolas or Will Turner from Pirates of the Carribean?"

"Legolas," I reply––– a little too fast.

Brooke laughs again. "How am I not surprised?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong. Legolas was cool… in the books and the movies. But not once you actually meet him. He's _seriously_ paranoid, and pretty antisocial."

We both turn to look at Legolas, who is practicing his archery on a nearby row of trees. The other elves are talking and eating together, but Legolas doesn't say a word to anyone.

"Hey, don't go _too_ hard on him," Brooke elbows me. "He seems pretty unfriendly, but in the books he stayed loyal to his friends forever––– even Gimli."

"Fine, I'll be nice, and try to become friends with the elf." I state bluntly, reading in between the lines. This time, Brooke doesn't seem to mind much. She just hugs me quickly saying, "That's a good girl," before skipping off to talk to the other elves, leaving me alone and staring awkwardly at Legolas, feeling rather unsettled about the whole affair.


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm sorry that I didn't update in forever! I promise from now on I'll update way more often! Anyways, here's the next chapter. I would love it if you gave me feedback. Thanks! _

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><p>The next day is a lonely one. Brooke has become very popular among the elves, who are constantly asking her what it's like to live in a different world. Since Brooke has been more than willing to supply answers, I haven't talked to her at all since yesterday afternoon.<p>

After a full day of riding on horseback nonstop, my back is killing me and I can barely get off of my horse. I want to collapse on the ground and fall asleep immediately as soon as we set camp in a small grassy clearing, but I force myself to eat dinner with the others.

I feel awkward as I sit down beside Brooke. She is talking excitedly to an elf next to her, who actually looks interested. I turn to my left and am surprised to see Legolas already sitting next to me, playing absentmindedly with his bow, and not talking to anyone save a few words back and forth with the elf to his left. I attempt to read his expression, but his face is blank.

I turn to Brooke, about to say something, but notice that she and the elf across from her are arguing heatedly. Feeling a bit awkward, I slowly turn back to Legolas and raise an eyebrow. When he doesn't look up, I sigh and decide to start the conversation by myself.

"So… how's life?" I ask him casually.

Legolas looks at me in surprise. He looks as if he is considering whether or not he should answer me.

"Well, we might as well talk to each other if Brooke is going to be entertaining everyone else and not speaking a word to either of us," I smile, biting into my piece of bread. "So, what is your favorite book?"

Legolas looks dumbfounded. Then he shakes his head. "You would not know its name."

"Oh. Okay." Not knowing what else to say, I take another bite of bread. Legolas seems to be trying to answer with the shortest answers possible. He probably just doesn't want to talk to people at the moment. I'm about to turn to Brooke to try to ask her a question again when Legolas speaks.

"You find me rude," he states matter-of-factly, while studying his bow.

I decide to be truthful. "Well, you _can_ come across that way, seeing as you almost never speak to people."

"Perhaps I think before I speak," Legolas says, smiling and raising his eyebrows at me, almost to suggest that I do the opposite.

"Perhaps _I_ want to establish good relationships with others, so I have a better chance of not dying a horrible death," I shoot back. Then, feeling a bit remorseful, I add, "Because I'm not like, a master archer and all that."

Legolas is silent for a moment. "Well, there are most certainly other ways to prevent oneself from, as you put it, 'dying a horrible death'."

When he doesn't continue, I prompt, "Such as…?"

"You could always improve your fighting skills, which would better your chances of survival," he offers. After a moment, he sighs and sets down his bow. "You said that you find me withdrawn, and antisocial?"

I nod, smiling a bit, uncertain of what he's trying to suggest.

"Then why don't I teach you how to shoot a bow, thus forcing me to be more social, _and_ helping you not to die a horrible death, which I admit would be quite a shame."

"I could say the same for you." I grin. Then, after thinking a moment, I nod determinedly. "It's a deal."

I'm about to ask him another question when Brooke taps on my shoulder. "Cela, stop flirting with Legolas and talk to me!"

I know that if I look embarrassed and yell at her then it will seem like I was flirting with him. As I try to keep my cheeks from burning, I glance over at Legolas, but he's still studying his bow, giving no sign that he heard anything. Not feeling reassured in the slightest, I turn to Brooke. "What do you want to talk about?"

"First of all, how we're actually going to _survive_ here?" Brooke suggests. She's about to continue when I cut her off.

"Actually, that's what Legolas and I were talking about. Do you want to come practice archery with us sometime tomorrow?"

Legolas looks up from his bow when he hears his name, but Brooke is already shaking her head. "There's no way I'm ever going to get enough arm strength to draw my bow. I think I'll just stick with fighting with light swords or knives or something."

"It would be wise," Legolas agrees, cracking a small smile.

"Well, it's getting late," I say, wiping bread crumbs from my lips. I lie down on the grass with my cloak wrapped around me, and stare up at the sky. "I guess we'll just practice alone, Legolas. Want to practice during dinner tomorrow?"

"Of course," Legolas answers. I can almost hear him smiling as he speaks.

In the distance, a wolf howls, a mournful, plaintive cry. I shiver, and turn on my side, wrapping my cloak even tighter around me. I do not dream that night.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys! I decided to make my chapters a little shorter so I can update more often, and it's easier for me to edit them. Of course, I can always change this if you guys ask me too. _

_In this chapter, Legolas and Cela start to become friends. I don't know what else to say. I'm awkward. :)_

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><p>"Cela, use your shoulder blades instead of your arm. Now try to pull it back again."<p>

I wipe some sweat from my forehead, and nock the arrow again. I pull the arrow back, and look questioningly at Legolas, who looks like he has a million things to tell me already, but limits himself to only a few. "Try to keep your elbow in line with the arrow, which will help with aim. Place this finger above, and the other two below. Release all three at the same-"

Legolas is interrupted as I release the arrow, and drop the bow, making a yelp of surprise. The fletches on the back of the arrow had hit my left hand at such a speed that some of the feathers had simply fallen off. The arrow then lands in a large puddle of mud a little ways off, and sinks before either Legolas or I can retrieve it.

I give Legolas an apologetic look, but he simply laughs. "I believe that this is our signal to stop the archery lessons?"

I nod vigorously, feeling a blush begin to spread across my cheeks. I hand him his elegant longbow and start walking back to our campsite. Legolas walks beside me, looking more than a little amused.

"Cela, have you ever been introduced to archery before?" he asks casually.

I look over at him, searching his face, but he's purposely looking away from me. I sigh. "Was it really that obvious?"

Legolas pauses. "I suppose you would like the truth?" As I nod hesitantly, he sighs. "Yes, extremely obvious. Perhaps you would like to look into swordfighting instead?"

"You jerk!" I punch him in the arm, but I'm already laughing. "Whatever. I already knew that I would stink at archery as soon as I shot my first arrow."

"You can always practice," Legolas says, trying to console me.

I wave him aside. "Of course, I'll keep trying, but it's gonna take me a while to even get to an _acceptable_ level."

We were both silent for a few moments as we carefully walk around a large puddle, my gray sneakers making disgusting squelching sounds each time I make a step.

"So, Legolas, I know close to nothing about you. Why don't we get to know each other better?" I ask him cheerfully, then groan inwardly. _Cela, that sounded _exactly _like Health class. _

Legolas doesn't seem to notice my complete lack of social skills I just displayed a moment ago. "What would you like to know?"

I hadn't thought about what to ask him ahead of time, but millions of random questions pop into my head anyway. "Hmm… okay. Well, first off, are you ever going to cut your hair?"

Legolas laughs so loud that I almost jump out of my skin in fright. "My hair is not really my biggest concern…"

"Yeah, right. You probably just want to keep it super long because you think it looks nice." Legolas is about to protest quite animatedly, so I move on quickly. "Um, do you want to know anything about me?"

I think that Legolas smiles, but it is too dark to tell. "I have many questions I have been planning to ask you."

"Ask away," I say as I hop clumsily on perfectly-placed stones across a gurgling stream. Legolas follows suit, but much more gracefully.

"I heard you talking with your sister," Legolas begins, and I almost have a heart attack. _This is probably going to be REALLY embarrassing. Curse his stupid elven ears._

"About what?" I try to keep my voice steady.

Legolas stops walking, and I turn back to face him. He's staring at me accusingly. "About how you do not know Gandalf. About how you lied to me."

I am shocked. "_What?!_ Why are you only now confronting me about this?"

"I wanted to decide how I should deal with you and your sister once I had established what kind of people you were. So I waited and observed, hoping to find the information I needed. As I'm sure we both know, by the following day, your sister had already met every single elf in our company."

I grin. _Thank goodness for Brooke. _"My sister has a way with people."

"It is truly a gift," Legolas replies. "So I decided that she might be useful. I decided that she should stay."

I breathe a sigh of relief, but Legolas is not finished.

"You, on the other hand… do not possess these social graces."

My hands feel sweaty, so I wipe them on my t-shirt. "Are you sending me away?" I ask quietly. _I thought that we had become friends, Legolas. Do I really mean so little to you?_

Legolas continues on like I did not say a thing. "And you would simply pose a burden for us as you do not know how to use a weapon, and thus cannot defend yourself should danger arise. But I realized something. You know how to speak Elvish quite well, and seem to know much more than you should about Middle Earth, seeing as you come from another world, and we have determined that you do not, in fact, know Gandalf. How do you know these things?"

I sigh. "That, Legolas, is _much_ too hard to explain."

"Seeing as your survival is relying upon your answer to this question, I believe that responding to my question would be in your best interest."

I groan, pulling at my tangled hair. "Okay, Legolas, what about this. You trust Gandalf, don't you?"

Legolas nods, looking suspicious.

"So why don't we meet up with Gandalf in Rivendell, and I'll talk with him. Then he can decide what to with me. Sound good?"

Legolas considers this for a moment. After a moment, he nods slowly. "I will accept these terms. I trust Gandalf to make the right decision."

I exhale, letting out a breath that I did not know I was holding. And, unbelievably, I laugh, and start walking toward the campsite again. "Legolas, did you actually think that I was a spy?"

"No," Legolas admits. "I did not think that you were. And I did not think it would be very polite to simply leave you alone here, either. Also, I must admit, you can be quite an excellent companion."

"You mean 'friend'?" I inquire teasingly.

"Yes. You are an excellent friend." Legolas states, trying out the word.

I can feel the warmth in his statement, as short as it is. It doesn't fade, and I have a feeling it won't for quite some time.

In the darkness, I smile.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! I would love it if you would leave reviews for me, so I can find out what everyone thinks of my story. Thanks!_

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><p>It's hard for one to imagine a place with a name that can easily intimidate, but I'll give you a hint: the Last Homely House in Rivendell. Also known as "Elrond's house". Also known as "the place where Gandalf will determine whether or not I should be killed".<p>

You might imagine why I am extremely intimidated at the moment.

Brooke, on the other hand, has nothing to worry about. She's singing a soft song while braiding elven hair. I haven't told her about Legolas's interrogation yesterday night, so as far as she knows, we're just two LotR superfans who get to witness Elrond's council firsthand and talk to all of our favorite characters.

I wish.

My thoughts are interrupted as Legolas rides up beside me on his horse.

I look at him questioningly. "What?" I ask, trying to be lighthearted, but failing miserably. "You aren't going to ask me to braid your hair too?"

"Unfortunately, no," Legolas replies, and he cocks his head to the side, still staring. Despite the tentative friendship Legolas and I have formed, I still find it a bit creepy when he does that. I'll have to tell him about that sooner or later. "I was going to ask you if you are alright."

A thousand responses run through my head, all of which bear the same general message: _Of course I'm not, you idiot- I could DIE today! Curse your stupid elven ears! Why do you insist on trying to become my friend if I could end up dead by the end of today? Won't you feel any guilt if I die today?!_

"I'm fine," I say, and spur my horse forward.

Legolas does the same and we are riding side-by-side again a moment later. "It never fails to amaze me how you always say the exact opposite of what you are feeling, when the truth is perfectly clear to anyone who observes."

I groan, brushing some stray hairs away from my face. "Why did you ask me if I was alright if you already knew that I wasn't?"

Legolas opens his mouth to answer, then frowns, thinking. I roll my eyes and pretend to be enjoying the scenery around me, feeling Legolas's eyes on me all the while. I'm trying so hard to pretend that I'm ignoring him that I don't even notice that my horse has finally reached the end of the dark, twisting trail we've been on for the entire day. As soon as my horse turns around the bend, it almost feels as if we have entered a different world. The air feels much lighter, and smells of the sun, and the ground beneath me appears to be glowing with life. I hear Brooke gasp in awe. Confused, I look up and nearly fall off of my horse.

The scene is almost from a highly-detailed, beautifully-made motion picture movie- except better. Everywhere, birds are singing joyfully as they play games and chase each other to the tops of the trees, laughing all the way. The stream gurgles cheerfully as it rushes past, and the mountains surrounding the wide valley stretch up and up and up, reaching almost farther than the eye can see. I breathe in deeply, and can't help smiling. _If this were my home, I would never want to leave. Maybe one day I'll even get to live here! You know, considering I don't die today._

Suddenly remembering Legolas, I shoot him a look of freezing scorn and gallop down the yellow path. Legolas, clearly immune to the wonders of nature, chases after me. Soon, we are racing beside each other, staring accusingly. Even our horses seem to be challenging each other, tossing their manes indignantly at the other.

I can barely hear Legolas over the wind that's rushing past, stinging my eyes and shrieking in my ears. "Would you like to race?"

The idea is laughable. I have nearly fallen off of my horse several times, can barely hold on to the reins, and the idea of going even faster than I already am fills me with a sense of dread.

"Of course," I say, and urge my horse faster. Legolas follows suit.

My horse appears to be so eager that the world passes by me in a wonderful blurry mix of bright sounds, scents, and colors. I don't even turn my head to the side for fear that it would be knocked clear off my body from the sheer force of the wind that's blasting me in the face. Still, I keep riding, deliriously happy that I haven't died yet.

At last, my horse reaches a bridge and hurtles across it. As soon as we land at the base of the bridge, an elf unexpectedly appears right in front of me. My horse is moving so fast that I only have time to shut my eyes and brace myself for the impact…

...that never comes. As soon as the horse sees the elf, it skids to a stop, literally driving holes into the ground and kicking up a tornado of dust. It successfully manages to stop right in front of the elf, who calmly offers it an apple.

I, however, am an entirely different story. Not expecting the horse's sudden stop, I slide up the horse's neck and fly off of the horse entirely, landing in an uncomfortable pile of wood, grass, and other odds and ends. I let out a moan.

Expecting Legolas to come and help me, I wait for a moment, silently screaming in agony from the pain. Then, when he doesn't, I call for help.

"LEGOLAS! _What are you doing?!_"

No answer. I try to get up, but almost black out from the pain. Slowly lowering myself back down, I roll my eyes. _I can't believe this. Calling for help from Legolas is the last thing that I ever planned on doing. _I laugh coldly. _I never planned any of this._

After a few minutes of lying on the ground helplessly, I hear a soft crunch of leaves near me. I turn my head toward the noise and immediately have a delightful view of Legolas's muddy black boots.

"Apologies, Cela," the elf says, as he offers me a hand, "I had to formally greet Lord Elrond of Rivendell, who seemed to be very amused after seeing you fall off your horse. He wishes to speak to you."

"How wonderful," I reply, taking his hand. As I sit up, I let out of yelp of pain, fall back down on the ground.

Legolas narrows his eyes. "You are hurt," he observes.

"No kidding," I gasp out, trying not to faint. "Have I ever mentioned that you constantly have a strong desire to state the obvious?"

Legolas ignores my comment. "You look pale. I should bring you inside," he says as he slides his hands underneath my body and starts to raise me from the ground.

I cry out in pain as Legolas accidentally moves my body a little to maneuver around some trees. "Be careful, you idiot!"

Legolas says nothing, but his mouth twitches a little in annoyance. I gaze up at him, daring him to reply, but he doesn't even look at me.

After a while of staring at Legolas angrily, I grow bored (after all, how can you impose guilt upon those that never feel it?) and decide to admire the beautiful trees above me. At first, I think that the trees are spinning and shaking because Legolas is doing a bad job carrying me, but then I realize that my vision is starting to get fuzzy.

_No, not right now… _my brain protests, _and especially NOT in Legolas's arms._

With a little effort, I manage to stay half-conscious and only fully pass out once Legolas places me in a bed. Right before my vision goes dark completely, I whisper "thank you" to Legolas.

I wait for a response, but lose consciousness before I can hear a reply.


	6. Chapter 6

_What's up, guys? Hmmm… I actually don't know why I always make it seem like a whole bunch of people read this fanfic when there's only a few. :( Annnyways… I just want to thank the people who favorited and followed this story- especially those who have supported me from the start! Please try to leave reviews! Happy reading _

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><p>I wake up from the pleasant feel of the sun shining on my face. Groaning, I try to turn on my side, but almost scream from the pain. <em>Oh yeah, that's right. I fell off of that horse.<em>

A bit disoriented, I look around the room for a moment. All of the windows are closed except the ones at my right, their golden, thin curtains fluttering happily in the warm breeze. The curved, magnificent structures of the statues and pillars around me fill me with awe. There is a tall, milky-white vase at my left with a collection of picturesque, dainty white roses inside, and, at my right, an artfully-arranged platter of food is mounted upon a twisted golden platform, just high enough for me to reach it without having to turn on my side.

"Thank goodness," I say as I proceed to stuff my face with food in a very unladylike manner. I'm so absorbed in eating the food that I don't even notice that someone has entered the room until I hear someone politely clear their throat. Eyes wide, I turn my head to the left, and see that an elf servant has entered the room. I feel my cheeks turn pink, then red, and I immediately set down the platter of food.

"Yes?" I say, trying to sound as dignified as one can be after unknowingly embarrassing themselves in front of another.

The elf, of course, acts like he didn't see anything and replies, "Gandalf will speak to you as soon as you are ready."

_Gandalf._ My head starts pounding and, suddenly, my food doesn't sound so appetizing anymore. I know that it's a little ridiculous to be so worried about meeting someone who's so… good. But I'm a mortal, and have so many flaws. I could be easily manipulated by the Ring. And, of course, Gandalf will want to know how I already know so much about the adventure… I groan inwardly. _Let's just get this over with._

"I'm ready to speak to him, now," I reply, gingerly lifting up the elegant platter of food and setting it aside.

The elf servant politely nods, and silently leaves the room. My heart is still beating fast, and I let out a big breath, trying to think about how exactly I'm going to explain my story to Gandalf. _I don't even know where to begin._

A moment later, Gandalf enters the room, looking around cautiously. His staff glows with a warm, bluish light. As soon as he catches my eye, he smiles gently, and pulls over a chair to the side of my bed. He slowly sits down, and stares at me.

Despite feeling a little uneasy and tense, I stare back at him unapologetically. Unperturbed, Gandalf just continues to look at me, still smiling.

I almost have a heart attack when he finally speaks. "Excellent. Quite fortuitous, actually." He stands up abruptly, letting out a short huff of satisfaction. "I will see you there in an hour, I suppose?"

I almost ask, then realize that denying that I know about Elrond's Council would be foolish. I nod meekly.

"An elf will come escort you to the council room. I understand that you have had an injury, correct?" As I nod again, Gandalf's thick, bushy eyebrows furrow thoughtfully. "The elves will help you prepare for the council."

Gandalf starts to leave my room, but I stop him. "Wait! Aren't you going to decide what to do with me?"

Gandalf continues to walk away. "Don't be late!" he calls out as his footsteps fade in the distance.

_Well, that was weird._ Feeling a little disoriented, I raise my eyes at the elf servant. "So… can you help me get out of bed?"

The elf servant silently walks over and helps me stand up. Surprisingly, it isn't as hard as I thought it would be. _I must have been unconscious for longer than I thought. _

The elf servant quietly walks over to a tall, ornate wardrobe in the corner of the room, and opens up the doors, letting me walk inside. I cautiously cross the room, trying to breathe shallowly. My ribs still hurt a lot- like someone has pushed one of my ribs all the way into my back, then returned it back to its former position. But it still doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did when Legolas carried me back to through the woods and into the Elrond's house.

I suddenly remember how Legolas told me that Elrond had been extremely amused to see me flying clumsily off of my horse. I'm tempted to laugh, but resist the impulse. At the time, it hadn't seemed funny at all, but as I picture myself flying off the horse, it gets _extremely_ hard not to laugh. Oblivious to the elf that is currently watching me from outside of the wardrobe, I make weird choking sounds as I try to resist laughing. I must be getting delirious.

_Okay, Cela, must focus on deciding what to wear for the Council. You know, the important one where the Fellowship of the Ring is formed? _I stare at the walls and walls of clothes around me, and suddenly feel lost. _Ugh. Where is Brooke when you need her?_

The elf cautiously peeks inside of the wardrobe. "Have you selected an outfit yet?" His voice has a melodious, calming feel to it, and I suddenly realize that I don't even know his name. I suddenly feel an urge to feel indignated at Legolas. _I bet he doesn't even care about his servant's names, the stuck-up prince._ I immediately shake my head, confused. _Where did THAT come from? You don't know that at all, and besides, isn't Legolas the one who carried you here in the first place?_

The elf is still staring at me, looking more than a little worried. Shaking myself, I walk over to him and offer him an awkward wave. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Cela, and I'm sixteen. What about you?"

"I am Calanon." The elf says emotionlessly, but I sense him smiling a little. _Ah. My awkwardness must have put him at ease. How fortunate._

"What's up, Calanon? So, um… I know that this is sort of awkward, but I have like _no_ fashion sense, so do you have any idea what girls usually wear here?" I cringe at my awkwardness, but Calanon's well-practiced elf demeanor prevents him from acknowledging it.

Calanon simply walks into the wardrobe and selects five outfits. He spreads them out onto the bed. "I believe these would all be appropriate for the occasion."

"Thanks so much, Calanon! And… sorry for making this awkward- you know, a guy giving a girl advice on what to wear?" I say, eyeing the dresses in admiration.

Calanon begins to think up a reply, but stops, looking confused. I begin to laugh, but instantly get a stabbing sensation in my ribcage. "You know what, Calanon, I don't think I'll need your assistance anymore. I'm think that I can shower by myself, even with a messed-up ribcage. And I'm pretty sure you have something more important to do."

Calanon nods, agreeing, and silently exits the room.

Sighing in contentment, I close the door and lock it, then walk over to my bed to examine the dresses. Finally, I choose a sleeveless silky dress with an elaborate moon necklace and cute little platformed shoes that are surprisingly easy to walk around in. After a quite painful but strangely calming five minutes of showering, I put on my outfit and stand in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.

I've never looked at myself in a mirror for more than five seconds my entire life, because a) I've never really _cared_ about my appearance in the slightest, and b) I've never thought about what other people might think of me. In the high school bathrooms, I've always seen the other girls doing their makeup and fixing their hair, but I've never done it myself.

_This is an important event that I'm going to, _I tell myself, leaning closer to my reflection. _I don't want anyone thinking that I'm going to be a burden. I have to look sophisticated. In charge. _For a moment, I just stare at myself in the mirror. But I'm not even sure what sophisticated looks like. I can't even tell the difference between someone pretty and someone ugly. My brain just absorbs information. _Dark, slightly wavy hair. Brown eyes. Hair parted to the side._

Frustrated, I shake my head and plop down heavily on my bed. _This is going to be a long day._


End file.
